Supporting From a Distance

River Plate fans in Barcelona, Spain now have an officially recognized supporters club that organize viewing parties and other River Plate related events. Two of the organizers also happen to own their own advertising agency, and took on the task of growing the club through online marketing. Under the slogan "We're far away, we have to yell louder", the campaign proposes finding ways to have their support be heard from such a long way away. This innovative approach to creating a supporters club even brought them to the attention of the local Barcelona evening news who ran the club's web-commercial on the air.

(Translation: A lot of cursing followed by "Aguante River!!!")

In addition, they had 250 of their members scream for River into small bottles which they have shipped to Buenos Aires. The 250 bottles will be taken to the next home game and they will be opened, symbolically releasing the support from Barcelona into the air.

www.riverplatebarcelona.com for more cool stuff.

Seattle Sounders 09/10 adidas Home Jersey

The Seattle Sounders presented their new jersey today at Qwest Field. It's only 307 days until the Sounders begin their first MLS season in 2009. Is this the longest gap in soccer jersey history between presentation and the team actually wearing it in a meaningful game ?
Anyway, With 'XBox 360 Live' as the sponsor, Seattle Sounders have the most marketable MLS shirt sponsor since the LA Galaxy were advertising Budweiser.

Chelsea FC 08/09 Home Jersey Photo Shoot

Chelsea wore this jersey in the Champions League final because of commercial pressure from adidas and no doubt their own accountants. The Blues had yet to win in the new shirt having only worn it once, in the 1-1 Premier League draw against Bolton Wanderers, and the superstitious amongst the Chelsea ranks wanted to wear the older jersey for the Champions League final in Moscow. Don't ask John Terry what happened next ...

Peep Peeps

The original Scottish fun pub.

Champions League 07/08 Final Winners & Losers

Winner: Manchester United. Fitting end to a season which seemed destined to end with them hoisting the cup in Moscow.

Loser: Chelsea, eh.. at the winter break everyone thought it would be Arsenal that posed any kind of threat to Man United. Maybe next time.

Winner: Nike, for obvious reasons. Take it to the Next Level indeed. Points for Ronaldo's hops on the first goal. Points taken away for Ronaldo's PK miss while sporting the new Mercurial Vapor IV SL's but that probably was more of a case of showboating than equipment failure.

Loser: Adidas. The main sponsor of the Champions League, looking for a back-to-back title winner after Milan's victory last season. Also an unfortunate start to the new Chelsea home jersey. Minor consolation prize for Der 3 Stripes is Lampard's equalizer.

Loser 2: Umbro. Maker of the SX Valor, the shoe that didn't provide John Terry enough traction on his penalty.

Winner: Foreign investment. Anyone still protesting Malcom Glazer at Old Trafford? Or is that water under the bridge at this point with 2 EPL titles and a CL cherry on top? Tonight, is Roman Abramovic going to sleep trying to calculate the exact monetary amount he should have invested in this team to get them over that last little hump?

Loser: Liverpool. The other Reds from England are closing in on their domestic and international trophy totals.

Winner: Japanese Man United fans. Can you say, sold out FIFA Club World Cup in December? Arigato!

Loser: Special Edition Chelsea Champions League Final Lextra lettering. Conceived as a nice collector's item, we can't imagine any Chelsea fan wanting to go out and buy this now.

Winner: Sir Alex Ferguson. The legend grows.

Loser: Didier Drogba. Having been sent off, I bet you wish you would have thrown a punch instead of that sissy slap.

Loser: Moscow CL Final organizers. The field was questionable even before the rain starting pouring.

Cristiano Ronaldo Squad Number

The new Portugal squad numbers are out and Cristiano Ronaldo has been given Luis Figo's old number 7. Now if only he would start wearing 'RONALDO' on his back instead of the current 'C.RONALDO' then all the customer confusion regarding his name and number would come to an abrupt end.

DC United New Volkswagen Jersey Photo Shoot

Here's some video from a DC United photos shoot showing the new Volkswagen Logo on the jersey. This is the first time that DC have had a sponsor on the front of the shirt. They have had them on the back of the shirt before, remember those Mastercard and, more recently, Sierra Mist jerseys. Needless to say that The Onion Bag received our delivery of DC United jerseys just days before the sponsorship deal with Volkswagen was announced. We will of course, strive to get the appropriate VW logos in place before we put them up online. Or do you prefer the DC United jersey without the Volkswagen sponsor ?

La Nueva Fama Bar, San Luis Potosi

Attracted by the saloon doors and oblivious to any danger inside, the Drink Team swaggered in and staggered out of La Nueva Fama Bar, San Luis Potosi, after a Club America victory at Esatadio Alfonso Lastras Ramirez. Mucho Coronas and Corralejo chasers were the order of the day, all served by a friendly bartender also celebrating the America victory.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Eres Grande.

I'm looking forward to an MLS match. It's not often you'll hear me say that these days. Since the re-branding of my local MLS team by Red Bull I have only been to Giants Stadium twice. Sad really, especially when I live five minutes from the stadium by car. A soccer fanatic like myself just doesn't resign himself to the couch or Nevada Smiths though, I've been to ten times more Club America matches since the local re-brand - and that's why I'll be heading to the Meadowlands this weekend. To see the best player North American soccer has produced in the last twenty years - Cuauhtemoc Blanco of the Chicago Fire. I've had the pleasure of meeting Cuauhtemoc a few times and the man is a class act and a real character. Many MLS fans doubted Cuauh's commitment to the League when he signed for the Fire from America, but there can be no doubt that his was the best signing an MLS team has ever made.

Wanker

So this Norwegian wants "Wanker 9" on his Bolton shirt, at the club shop, but the manager is hesitant to do it. Luckily, at The Onion Bag, we have no such editorial standards. We'll use authentic player size Lextra lettering to print anything you want on the back of your Premier League shirt.

Alf Garnett ...

Alf Garnett, West Ham fan and proud Englishman, loses control of his wheelchair as he crashes into a private swimming pool which belongs to a black West Ham player who instantly recognizes Alf as the supporter who's constantly been giving him verbals from the stands at Upton Park. This clip is from ITV around 1991.

The charcater of Alf Garnett was reactionary, mean-spirited, selfish, bigoted, racist, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic. The actor playing Alf, Warren Mitchell, himself is in fact Jewish. Generally Alf blamed his problems on everybody else. His family was the usual target of his anger and frustration. On the show, Garnett was regularly ridiculed for his illogical views and hypocrisy by his family, but he stubbornly refused to admit he was wrong.

The British public loved Alf Garnett - since everyone knew such a reactionary figure within their own locality - although the television show was heavily criticised for the character's prejudices.

Alf Garnett was the direct inspiration for Archie Bunker in the American sitcom All in the Family.

There's Nothing I Can Do At All

Kevin Keegan in optimistic form for next season, lowering all expectations, I imagine, so Newcastle fans have a better chance of feeling better about finishing sixteenth. Everton's David Moyes has already stated his goal is to make Everton a top six club, at least giving Evertonians reason to dream. For Keegan the magic has definitely gone from the Premier League when as manager of a team that attracts 50,000 plus for every home game declares they have no chance of a top four finish. I feel his frustration, but what's the point of buying tickets then ?

No Nonsense, No Gadgets

I've developed this habit of always having my cellphone in a separate pocket away from keys, coins, knives etc so that I don't scratch the screen on the front of the phone. When I'm down the pub (as I was yesterday watching Carlisle beat Leeds !) I always pull the phone out and place it on the bar so as not to sit on it /break it / set off phone calls to God knows who. If your like me and do the same and can't help thinking what an absolute twat you are, this clip is for you.

Coming to a DVD Near You

Not sure if we'll be offered this video or not, but a Brazilian porn company has hired a R9 look-a-like, and one of O Fenomeno's real life ex-girlfriends, to star in a new movie called "Vivi Ronaldinha, My First Time". Vivi Brunieri was R9's main squeeze back in his first season at Real Madrid, and assures the Brazilian press that while Ronnie may promote the Mercurial Vapor range for Nike, he's everything but speedy in the sack saying he usually scores about 5 times per "match".

In other important porno futbol news, the Spanish press is also claiming that Chelsea players celebrated their passage to the CL final by partying with pornstar Jenna Jameson in London.

Do The Ayatollah !

FA Cup tradition dictates that each and every year the teams involved in the Final release some sort of official song for the occasion. Cardiff City haven't had a Cup Final song since 1927, so maybe we can forgive the Ninian Park club's A&R man for what you are about to see. There must be a shortage of choreographers in Wales.

Caballero Aguila - Memo Ochoa

You either love or hate the design but you can't deny the man that (allegedly) designed it and wears it. Club America and Mexican National Team star Guillermo Francisco Ochoa is the number one goalkeeper in Latin America. And right now, thanks to our Coapa connection, The Onion Bag Soccer Shop is the only store in the United States to offer the 'Caballero Aguila' jersey exactly as worn by Memo Ochoa, right down to the sewn on FMF sleeve badges. Coming off the back of last night's historic 3-0 win in the Maracana Stadium over Flamengo, America fans and soccer jersey collectors are sure to start snapping up our limited supply. Don't miss out !

Pump Up The Volume

Photo taken by a secret agent behind enemy lines. Oh the shame, boca! Using speakers to amplify your so called support. This in Argentina, using terrace vernacular, is cheating, and has sent opposing fans into a fit of laughter. 100 Watt "Amargura".

My Tire is Still Flat

"The old man is giving me a lift, I should be there around 12:30 or 1."

Who knew a flat could become a two day drama.

Rocky

Not Sylvester Stallone but Rocky Mills, legendary Burnley FC fan.

Flat Tire

The Automotive Trouble Fairy strikes again, this time our hero was foiled by a flat tire. No need to worry, we're sure he'll make it in tomorrow.

Move your Body, Tap your Cap, Keep on Goin' to the Gazza Rap

Sad news today as legendary England midfielder Paul Gascoigne was taken to hospital after an incident at a London hotel on Sunday. Ambulance crews and police were called to the hotel on Sunday and Gazza voluntarily went to hospital where he was being assessed. Get well soon Paul, we need more players like you. Real lads that can put a smile on people's faces.


No offence was reported and no further action was taken, police said

Time to Hit The Beach La

Now that Liverpool's season is over without the Premier League title again, and it's Chelsea and Manchester United heading to Moscow for European glory, it's time for the Red Noses to head to sunny Spain.

Nee Joy, Nee Hope, Nee Nowt

Ye knaa the reason I left this country in the first place diven't ye eh ? I'll tell ya, in a word: Margaret bloody Thatcher.

Ohhhh Vamo' River Pleii!

As was posted over at riverplate.com, this was the only victory River had all day today. Apparently the little guy decided to take matters into his own hands (or teeth in this case). This took place before the game today, in La Boca's famous and historic "Caminito" street. What makes the video even funnier is as soon as the pooch grabs a hold of the bostero dog you hear people in the back ground yelling "Vamos River!" Plus the dog is half the size of his victim!

World Beer Festival - Raleigh, NC 4/26/08

Over 150 beer vendors offering up over 300 different brews. Cram several thousand people into downtown Raleigh and you've got a party! Was fortunate enough to attend the World Beer Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina with a few close friends. Was even more fortunate to remember some of the details the following morning. Every kind of beer was on hand including a Blueberry Wheat Beer from the folks at Top of The Hill brewery located in Chapel Hill. There was La Putene (Anyone who speaks fluent Italian care to confirm that this translates to The Whore?) and Dead Guy Ale. All were consumed in our little beer sampling souvenir glass. I highly recommend this event if you're into beer, or enjoying shouting with a bunch of strangers. The added bonus for us was that one of our buddies was enjoying his birthday that very same day, so we got random people to sing Happy Birthday. Of course the drunks were happy to oblige all night long!

Bust out the Tivo

The marketing think tank in Beaverton is at it again! The second video is great. Nike showing why they are still #1 when it comes to promoting their products.



OK Chaps, time to focus....